Thor: Ragnarok
(The Disneycember logo is shown, before showing clips from Thor: Ragnarok. Also, several clips from Thor: The Dark World ''are shown as well) Doug (vo): Okay, I see how it works. When I don't like ''Thor: The Dark World, it's... (Imitates a whiny fanboy) ''"Oh, you don't understand Thor! Natalie Portman and Kat Dennings are amazing! Oh, you just don't get it!" But then, when ''Thor: Ragnarok ''comes around, it's... ''(Imitates a whiny fanboy) ''"Oh, we finally got a good ''Thor ''movie! Oh, no Natalie Portman or Kat Dennings! Oh, they finally understand!" ''(Speaks normally, sounding annoyed at the hypocrisy of several complainers) ''Blow me, you symbolic voice I've decided to club all of the Internet I don't like into! Anyway, ''Thor: Ragnarok ''is a funny, big, epic, action-packed fun time. It's not especially deep or very meaningful, but it finally gives us a story and visuals that look on par with what ''Thor was, or at the very least, an 80s rock cover, which is what Thor ''should be, damn it! Story Doug (vo): After returning from a giant mission, Thor discovers that Loki, his brother, has disguised himself as Odin, and he forces him to change back. When he demands Loki to take him to his real father, they find he doesn't have much time left. In a quick change of tone that's surprisingly effective, we see him slowly fade away while also giving information about their actual firstborn. Hela, the banished rightful heir, is going to come and reclaim her throne the minute he dies. And seeing how he told them this the minute he died, they don't have much time to prepare and she comes and attacks. She and her army banish Thor and Loki to another realm, where they're used as entertainment, a part of the galaxy of gladiators, media, bounty hunters, and Jeff Goldblum...because somehow, strangely, this movie feels naked without him. Thor is captured to fight for ruler Goldblum's amusement, and wouldn't you know it? One of the other captured gladiators is the Hulk. The problem is, though, the Hulk has stayed the Hulk for a long time; he hasn't turned back human in quite a while. So Thor has a lot on his plate. He has to turn the Hulk back to himself, escape, defeat his sister, and also stop Ragnarok, the destruction of his entire kingdom. Review Doug (vo): So that's quite a lot to throw at you in one movie, and...smartly, the film doesn't take it too seriously. Sometimes, that can be a problem, as there's an occasional joke that almost doesn't feel very ''Thor-like, but we're used to that from the other Thor ''movies. Honestly, here, I'd almost argue it's downplayed. That's not to say the film doesn't have some dramatic moments, it's just not...especially dramatic. It's just enough so that we want to be on their side when they're flying around, throwing swords, and breathing fire, and doing all the cool stuff we want to see in a ''Thor ''movie. The laughs make us enjoy them more, the effects show the cool things they can do while they're making us laugh. So when we get to the really big action sequences, we're entirely onboard. It's not ''Lord of the Rings ''or ''Lawrence of Arabia, but I don't think it's really meant to be. It's supposed to be a comic book movie, a comic book movie of gods fighting each other and blowing shit up and saying cool one-liners. (Several characters, mainly focusing on Thor and Bruce Banner/Hulk, are shown) Doug (vo): At the center of it are the incredibly charming characters. The one good thing in every single Thor ''movie is always Thor himself. Chris Hemsworth is just so charming. Whether he has to be funny, whether he has to be badass, or when he has to be big, whether he has to be subtle, he works for whatever is needed. It's also great to see Eric* Banner focused on. I feel like this is the ''Hulk ''movie we also really deserved but never got. It's interesting that he would actually want to stay the Hulk for a long time like he chose to do so. And when he doesn't want to change back into the Hulk again, he's constantly surrounded by people who glorify it. They praise the monster, they praise the violence, which is actually kind of an interesting commentary when you think about it. He's trying to run away from being the awful beast in a world where everyone wants him to be the awful beast. You could almost argue that's the Hulk's complicated movie history in a nutshell. * (Note: Small slip-up Doug made there; according to his Facebook post acknowledging that slip-up, he meant to say Bruce Banner) ''(Other characters, including a new ally named Valkyrie, and the film's villain, Hela, are shown) Doug (vo): I also like this drunk bounty hunter who's got a real tragic backstory, but still gets a lot of good laughs as well. The only problem I have is, if she's supposed to be a literal, fall-down drunk, why does she always look that good? Shouldn't her hair be a little messed up or a little sloppy? If you can't even stand, how do you get your eyeliner that perfect? I guess I shouldn't talk when you see Cate Blanchett throughout this entire picture. Good God! This design is crazy, and her acting totally backs it. It's big, it's loud, it's intense, it's totally having fun with every moment. I guess if I had any criticism, it would have been that the film could have been cut down by a good 15, 20 minutes. It didn't need to be this long. I also argue that maybe a little bit more drama would have been welcomed, but I am still happy with what we got, especially compared with the other two. Final thought Doug (vo): ''Thor: Ragnarok ''is a big, goofy movie in all the right ways. It's got the charm, it's got the action, it's got the cool effects. It's my definition of a good popcorn movie, it's just enough to get invested, but you don't have to think too hard about it either. It's just stupid fun that took a lot of smart planning to accomplish. Cross the Rainbow Bridge and enjoy your hammer time. ''(A scene in the climax, showing Surtur destroying Asgard and the Hulk leaping towards him, is shown) '' Category:Disneycember Category:Transcripts Category:Disneycember reviews of Marvel Cinematic Universe Movies Category:Marvel Category:Disney Category:Content Category:Guides